Automatically folding play yard



April 20, 1954 G. E. FRoELlcH 2,675,565

AUTOMATICALLY FOLDING PLAY YARD Filed Oct. 30, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /rf ammi/s,

April 20, 1954 G. E. FROELICH AUTOMATICALLY FOLDING PLAY YARD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 50, 1951 INVENTOR. 'earye /ve/z'c'f.

April 20, 1954 G. E. FRoELlcH 2,675,565

AUTOMATICALLY FOLDING lPLAY YARD Filed oct. 3o. 1951 s sheets-sheet s IT Il l' l 7/ I,

IN V EN TOR.

if @wwf/s Patented Apr. 20, 1954 AUTOMATICALLY FOLDING PLAY YARD George E. Froelich, Two Rivers, Wis., assigner to Hamilton Manufacturing Company,

Two

Rivers, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application October 30, 1951, Serial No. 253,805

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to infants play yard constructions and particularly to that type which is collapsible or foldable, so that it may be stored in a relatively small space when not in use. In certain respects the present invention relates to improvements over the play yard shown and described in Landrys Patent No. 2,489,188.

In the play yard of the present invention, the floor is elevated, that is, there are depending legs adjacent the corners of the play yard so that the floor of the play yard is positioned a substantial distance from the floor upon which it is supported, when the play yard is extended to the open position. In the ordinary play yard, the center is without support, and according to the present invention a center leg support is provided which is adapted to automatically come to a stable position when the play yard is opened and automatically folds to an out-of-the-way position when the play yard is closed. The center leg is so constructed and arranged that when the play yard is closed, or folded, it is received within Waste space so that additional storage space is not required.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide an improvement in folding play yards wherein the floor is supported at its center when the play yard is open and the leg folds into an out-of-the-way position when the play yard is closed.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved play yard in which the folding center leg is automatically moved to a stable supporting position and then latched or locked against the adjacent edge of one of the floor sections when the play yard is open, so that adequate stable support is automatically provided at all times.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specifications, the drawings relating thereto, and from the claims hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, in which like numerals are used to designate like parts in the several views throughout:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a play yard embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the play yard shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, broken, cross-sectional and elevational view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the center of the play yard but showing such play yard in its closed or folded position for storage;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view taken substantially vin the direction of the arrow 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the play yard in an intermediate position, that is, in a position where the sides are partially folded inwardly;

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 1--1 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 8 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, a play yard or play pen embodying the features of the present invention is illustrated and comprises a pair of rigid opposite side members indicated generally at I and 2 and a pair of of oppositely disposed intervening collapsible or foldable side members indicated generally at 3 and 4. Each side member I and 2 includes an upper rail 5 and a lower rail 3 suitably interconnected by a plurality of vertical bars, in the conventional way.

Each of the rigid side members is provided, at each end thereof, with a vertically extending corner post 'I having a depending portion 8 at the lower end thereof which extends below the lower rail 6 and provides a corner leg at each corner. Casters 9 are preferably mounted on the ends of the depending corner legs 3, in the usual way.

Each of the folding side members 3 and 4 includes upper and lower rail portions I0 and II, respectively, each formed in two parts of substantially equal length and hinged together at their adjacent edges by a hinge I2. The adjacent ends of the rail portions I0 and I I abut when the play pen is inits open or extended position. The hinges I2 are secured to the outer faces of the rail sections I0 and II.

The respective halves of rail sections IU and II are interconnected by vertical bars, in the usual way. f

The outer ends of the rail sections IS and II are pivotally connected to the adjacent inside faces of corner posts 1 by means of hinges I3 so that each side member 3 and 4 may be broken or folded inwardly at its center and the two halves thereof folded against the inner faces of their respective opposite sides I and 2.

The iioor of the play pen of the present invention is preferably constructed as disclosed in the Landry patent referred to above and comprises a pair of main door elements It and I5 which are pivotally connected to their adjacent lower rail 6 of rigid ends I and 2 Aby means of hinges I3 andi?, respectively. Such hinges are so positioned so that ,sections Iemand I 5 may fold upwardly against their` respective sides. The main floor sections I and I5 are generally triangular in form with adjacent flat edges I8 and I9, respectively, which are adapted to lie adjacent each other when the play pen is open.

Each of the main oor elements Ii and I5 is provided, respectively, with a pair of triangular Wing sections 2S and 2I, and 22 and 23. The wing sections 2), 2l, 22, and 23 are hinged to the adjacent edges of their main sections I4 and I5 by underlying hinges 2i.

Each of the wing sections 20, 2l, 22, and 2t is pivotally connected to its adjacent bottom rail VII of the foldable side rails 5 and 4by means of a hinge 25. The hinge 25 is xed to the under surface of its sections 2B, 2l, 22, or 23 in the usual Way and the outer Wing of the hinge is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 26. A screw 21 with washers 23 and'29 on opposite sides of the outer wing of the hinge 25 is received through the Washer and through the slot and into the rail II. Thus each of the Wing sections 2B, 2i, 22, and 23 is pivotally and slidably connected to its adjacent rail section II so that relative sliding is permitted as the wing sections are folded.

It will be observed that the :door of the play pen is disposed at a substantial height above the supporting floor by the depending legs 8 and that the floor sections are all pivotally connected to the'adjacent lower rails of the play pen around the periphery of the floor. However, the center of the play pen is ,unsupported and, according to the present invention, a folding center leg is provided so that the play pen floor is adequately supported when the play pen is open and'wherein the leg does not interfere with the closing of the play pen and does not require any more space in the folded position than is normally required. Also, the play pen maybe readily folded from its open to closed position by means of a foot actuator 30. Such actuator 30 also serves as a support for a center leg 3i and a support for the adjacent edge of the opposite floor'panel in a manner that will be described hereinafter. The member 30 has a foot pad 32 which may be depressed to fold the play yard.

The supporting member 36 is fixed to the under surface of the floor section I5 at substantially its transverse center and extends inwardly toward the adjacent floor section M. The end of the member 3! projects beyond the free edge I9 so that it projects under the adjacent free edge I8 and serves as a support for oor section I and its interconnected wings V and 2I.

rIhe edge I 8 of oorsection I4 has a reinforcing angle plate 55, preferably formed of metal, having a portion which underlies the sectionV I4 and having a flange which extends across the free edge I8. The inner end of the arm 38 is curved as indicated at 33 and such projecting end supports the section Ili as stated above; and, as the door section I5 is raised, the curved end 33 will initiate pivoting action of the section I4 and its adjacent wing sections.

The depending center leg 3l is pivotally connected to the supporting member 38 by means of brackets 3d. The brackets 36 are provided on opposite sides of the member 3i) and are'iixed thereto with the depending portion of the brackets extending along the outer sides of the depending leg 3|. The leg 3| is pivotally connected to the brackets by means oi a ypivot pin t5. A

portion of the upper edge 36 of the leg 3| is straight and abuts against the adjacent surface of the member 30 when the leg is in its supporting position to hold the leg rigid, as shown in Figs. l and 3. The right upper edge, viewing Fig. 3, is curved, as indicatedat 3i, to permit pivoting of the leg 3| with respect to the supporting member .38.

The leg 3| is preferably disposed at an' angle to the vertical so that it is connected to section I5 but projects beyond or across the adjacent edge of section I4, thus providing a rigid iioor support in the open position. This provides a stable construction, Vparticularly when using a swiivelcaster as over center thrust does not cause the leg 3'! to swing up.

A. caster 3811s connected to the under side of the leg 3|, in the usual Way.

Adual purpose locking or latching means and activating or positioning. lever is provided on the leg 3i andV comprises an .upwardly Vextending metal latch 453' which; is mounted Within a slot in the leg 3i and is vfixed `thereto by means .of screws or pins di. The latch! d@ projects above thev tcp of .the leg, SI andf'fisrmcvably received within a groove or slot'f42. formedin the .inner edge of the member 3d. `'lhe upwardlvmojecting portion of the latch 4Q is curvedandE seats against the inner complementaryy .curved` base of the slotl 132, as shown-in Eig. 3. The upper-end of the latch is received agslot 4&3 formed in door section I5 adjacent free edge. I9 and terminates substantially ush with `the-'tolli surface of the floor sections I4 and I5. The latchinf* edge 134 of the latch-#ii thusyabuts against the .adjacent surface of the reinforcing angle i5 when the door sectionsare in their open position, as shown in Fig. 3'. Thusthelegfili is locked against accidental displacement When the play` pen is foldedfrom its openposition, as shown inV Fig. l, toits elosedzposition, shown in Fig'. 4, by stepping on thefootpad-ii, the lfloor section i5, together with itswingsections 22 and 23, are caused'topivot about vtheir respective bottom rails. This will cause an inward folding of the sides 3 and'll and consequently will cause a raising and folding of fioor section I5 and wing sections 22 and 23, as above'stated.' The raising oi member 30 will initiate raising offsection I4.. As section I4 is moved awayfrom latch edge 4d, the leg 3l is free to pivot by gravity about pivetpin 35. In its intermediate position,-the center leg and the floor elements will assume the position shown in Figs; 6 and '7. Complete folding results in the center leg 3 IfA assuming the position shown in Fig. 4, with the folding sides 3 and l folded between the rigid sides I and; and with the oor sections in theY foldeposition shown. As the plan pen is positioned' by extending the sides@ and 4, the center leg ,3l will automatically come to a stable and latehed position, with the play pen ready for use. As the play' pen isopened to the fully open position the member Yi0 acts as a lever when itis engaged 'by'angle plate 45 to force the leg V3l to its stable supporting position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Y

Formal changesmay be made in the specific embodiments of the invention described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which Vis commensurate with the ap pended claims.

VWhat is claimed is:

A1. play yard comprising a pair of opposed vrigid sidemembers, a pair of'l inwardly vicgldable side membersl interposed between" the corresponding ends of the rst mentioned pair of side members and pivotally connected thereto to define a rectangular door area when extended, a pair of bottom sections pivotally secured to the respective rigid side members, depending legs adjacent the corners of said play yard extending below said bottom sections, a center leg pivotally connected to one oi said bottom sections and depending therebelow, and a locking and lever element on said pivoted leg engaging the adjacent edge of the other bottom section when said sections are extended to their normal open positions.

2. A play yard comprising a pair of opposed rigid side members, a pair of inwardly foldable side members interposed between the corresponding ends of the first mentioned pair of side members and pivotally connected thereto to define a rectangular iioor area when extended, a pair of bottom sections pivotally secured to the respective rigid side members, depending legs adjacent the corners of said play yard extending below said bottom sections, a center leg pivotally connected to the under surface of one of said bottom sections and depending therebelow, and a locking and lever element on said pivoted leg extending upwardly to a position substantially flush with the surface o-f the lbottom section and engaging the adjacent edge of the other bottom section when said sections are being extended to their normal open positions to move the center leg to its supporting position and lock it in position.

3. A play yard comprising a pair of opposed rigid side members, a pair of inwardly foldable side members interposed between the corresponding ends of the rst mentioned pair of side members and pivotally connected thereto to denne a rectangular floor area when extended, a pair of bottom sections pivotally secured to the respective rigid side members, depending legs adjacent the corners of said play yard extending below said bottom sections, a center leg pivotally connected to the under surface of one of said bottom sections and depending therebelow, said center leg pivoting to a position substantially parallel to said bottom sections when said bottom sections are raised to the closed position of the play yard, and a locking and lever element on said pivoted leg engaging the adjacent edge of the other bottom section when said sections are being extended to their normal open positions.

4. A play yard comprising a pair of opposed rigid side members, a pair of inwardly foldable side members interposed between the corresponding ends of the first mentioned pair of side members and pivotally connected thereto to dene a rectangular floor area when extended, a pair of bottom sections pivotally secured to the respective rigid side members, depending legs adjacent the corners of said play yard extending below said bottom. sections, a center leg pivotally connected to one of said bottom sections adjacent the free edge thereof and depending therebelow, and a locking and lever element on said pivoted leg and movable therewith engaging the adjacent edge of the other bottom section when said sections are being extended to their normal open positions and to be released from engagement with said edge when said sections are raised to their closed positions.

5. A play yard comprising a pair of opposed rigid side members, a pair of inwardly foldable side members interposed between the corresponding ends of the rst mentioned pair of side members and pivotally connected thereto to define a rectangular fioor area when extended, a pair of ILS bottom sections pivotally secured to the respective rigid side members, depending legs adjacent the corners of said play yard extending below said bottom sections, a supporting element connected to the under surface of one of said bottom sections and extending under the adjacent edge of the other bottom section when said sections are extended to their normal open positions to provide a support for said other bottom section, a center leg pivotally connected to said supporting element and depending therebelow, and a locking and lever element on said pivoted leg engaging the adjacent edge of the other bottom section when said sections are being extended to their normal open positions.

6. A play yard comprising a pair of opposed rigid side members, a pair of inwardly foldable side members interposed between the corresponding ends of the first mentioned pair of side members and pivotally connected thereto to dene a rectangular floor area when extended, a pair of bottom sections pivotally secured to the respective rigid side members, depending legs adjacent the corners of said play yard extending below said bottom sections, a supporting element xed to the under Surface of one of said bottom sections for movement therewith and extending under the adjacent edge of the other bottom section when said sections are extended to their normal open positions to provide a support for said other bottom section, a center leg pivotally connected to said supporting element and depending therebelow, and a locking and lever element on said pivoted leg engaging the adjacent edge of the other bottom section when said sections are being extended to their normal open positions.

7. A play yard comprising a pair of opposed rigid side members, a pair of inwardly foldable side members interposed between the corresponding ends of the iirst mentioned pair of side members and pivotally connected thereto to define a rectangular floor area when extended, a pair of bottom sections pivotally secured to the respective rigid side members, depending legs adjacent the corners of said play yard extending below said bottom sections, a supporting element fixed to the under surface of one of said bottom sections for movement therewith and extending under the adjacent edge of the other bottom section when said sections are extended to their normal open positions to provide a support for said other bottom section, a center leg pivotally connected to said supporting element and depending therebelow, and a locking and lever element on said pivoted leg engaging the adjacent edge of the other bottom section when said Sections are extended to their normal open positions, said supporting element being so constructed and positioned as to raise the other bottom section out of engagement with said locking element when said bottom sections are moved to their raised. positions.

8. A folding play yard having depending legs adjacent the corners thereof and comprising a pair of opposite ends, a pair of folding sides pivoted to and connecting the opposite ends, and a pair of separate folding floor elements, each of the floor elements comprising a main part pivotally connected to an opposite end and each of a pair of wing parts pivotally connected along an adjacent edge to its adjacent main part and along another edge to a section of the folding sides, whereby the floor as a whole is supported by the four sides of the play yard and the folding sides are folded by folding motion of the loor elements and vice versa, a centerfleg pivotally connected tothe under side of one of said main parts adjacent the free edge thereof and depending therebelow, said center leg pivoting upon said folding motion of the floor element, and a locking element on said pivoted leg engaging the adjacent edge of the other bottom section when said sections are extended to their normal open positions.

Refences cited in the me. of this. patent UNITED STATES lPATENTS Number` Name Date Newrath Sept. 19, 1911 Wright Feb. 26, 1946 Landry Nov. 22, 1949 Dawson Feb. 26, 1952 

